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say, are simple and judicious, and drawn up with a highly praiseworthy attention to genteel economy. We can, ourselves, see that the receipts are numerous, and have a very tempting appearance, embracing directions for marketing, soups and broth, fish, meats, poultry, vegetables, sauces, pastry and puddings, custards and creams, jellies, pickles, cakes, wines, sundry small dishes, how to salt meat, directions for carving, and various miscellaneous receipts. We confess we are more conversant with the art of eating than of cooking; yet we have an impression 'that this small volume is well calculated to soften the asperities of domestic life, and to give an additional attraction to the dinner-table of the married man.

Conversations upon Comparative Chronology and General
History, from the Creation of the World to the Birth of
Christ. London, Longman, Rees, Orme, and Co.
1830. 8vo. Pp. 480.

We have looked over this book with much satisfaction. We know of none better calculated both to interest the youthful reader, and, at the same time, to impart to him substantial knowledge of the sciences of which it treats. In a modest and well-written Preface, the author, with whose name, we regret to say, we are unacquainted, thus describes the object he has had in view, and the plan he has pursued:

"In giving a conversational character to the fruits of researches so dry as those of History, and especially those of Chronology, are often considered, the aim, uniformly pursued, has been to recommend them to attention, by making the substance, as well as the shape, available for amusement and pleasure, and, at the same time, for solid information, and for the culture of moral and religious feelings. The means, as must be obvious, to be resorted to for such a purpose, consist, in the first place, in enlivening and adorning the thread of historical narrative, and list of chronological epochs, by adverting, from moment to moment, to some of the more striking details, agreeably or otherwise impressive, of the various incidents recorded; and, as a second resource of a similar kind, and even as a distinguishing feature of the work, the comparison or parallel of dates has been kept constantly in view, so as to fix the surer regard upon the several eras of persons or events, living, or occurring simultaneously, in different parts of the world; because nothing can more embellish either Chronology or History, or, by aid of the imagination, can more contribute to enchain the memory, than the recalling of coincidences, often the least suspected, of the times of celebrated persons, or of great national events, in regions of the earth the most removed from each other, and among nations the most estranged, and most dissimilar."

We have no hesitation in saying, that the author has, in the work itself, amply redeemed the hopes held out in the Preface. The volume, altogether, is an elementary work of a most judicious and valuable description.

The Family Classical Library. Nos. I. II. and III.—
Leland's Demosthenes-Rose's Sallust-and Spelman's
Xenophon. Edited and printed by A. J. Valpy. Lon-

don.

Colburn & Bentley. 1830.

We do not know why we have not noticed sooner this cheap and elegant little work. Its intention is to present

but to walk in and be introduced to Demosthenes, Xeng-
There are, besides, many
phon, Sallust, "and the rest.
little boys, and not a few elderly gentlemen, to whom,
when they are poring over some crabbed old author, a
translation is a perfect godsend, Much, therefore, will
this part of the population of Great Britain and Ireland
delight in the labours of Mr Valpy. More seriously, this
is a work which reflects great credit upon its talented and
amiable editor.

Letters to Dr Robert Hamilton, in refutation of the Erroneous and Heretical Doctrines, &c. &c. Edinburgh. W. Oliphant. 1830. Pp. 150.

а

Dr

HERE is another heresy-monger, yclept Dr Robert Hamilton, who, from being a curer of bodies having run aground for want of practice has taken to curing souls in a new and original manner. His doctrines, in point of extravagance and absurdity, beat the dogmas of the Row people hollow. The writer of the pamphlet, the fifth part of the title of which we have quoted above, is" Baptist," who has set himself seriously to the work of refutation, and brought forth a closely-printed brochure of Robert Hamilton declares, on the honour of a gentleman 150 pages, which we would not read for the world. and the faith of a Christian, that the Ten Commandments and the Sabbath are abrogated on this earth for ever! He has got, we believe, about forty converts; some people call them convicts—that is, they are convicted of the truth To these forty of Dr Hamilton's luminous conceptions. disciples, and a host of idlers and others, the worthy Doctor holds forth, we are told, every Sabbath evening, in some hall within the precincts of this city. The followers, or those who have embraced his unique ideas, are principally old women, cidevant governesses, and shoemakers' wives; and, as far as their opinions go, there is no such man upon earth as Dr Robert Hamilton,

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Select Orations of Demosthenes; with Notes, Critical and
Explanatory. To which are added (prefixed) Leland's
Sketch of the Principal States of Greece, &c. &c. By
E. H. Barker, Esq. London. Baldwin & Co. 1830.
8vo. Pp. 276.

THE editor of this volume is a scholar who evidently searches deeply, examines carefully, and decides only on conviction. The text has been very minutely collated with the best editions of Demosthenes; and the notes, which are rather explanatory than critical, will be found useful both by the student and instructor. The Orations thors. Its circulation will, of course, be much more li- selected are the first Philippic, the first, second, and third mited than Miscellanies which embrace a more varied Olynthiac, the Oration on the Peace, the Oration of range of subjects; but it will form a complete and valu-schines against, and that of Demosthenes for, Ctesiphon. able work in itself, and will supply the desideratum of a uniform edition of all the most celebrated of the Greek

us with the best translations of all the best classical au

and Roman writers in an English dress. For ourselves, we confess that, having acquired some knowledge of the originals, we are not much addicted to translations. But there are many persons to whom Greek is nothing more nor less than Heathen Greek, and to whom Latin is no better than High Dutch;-to them the door of information is now unlocked, and for the small and easy charge of four-and-sixpence per month, they have nothing to do

Steamers v. Stages; or, Andrew and his Spouse; a
humorous Poem. By the Author of " York and Lan-
caster. Illustrated with six Engravings, after the
London. William
designs of Robert Cruikshank.
Kidd. 1830.

THIS is an amusing enough jeu-d'esprit, containing a punning poem, and some clever caricatures by George Cruikshank's brother.

Times of Trial; being a brief Narrative of the Progress of the Reformation, and of the Sufferings of some of the Reformers. By Mary Ann Kelty. One vol. 8vo. Pp. 470. London. Longman, Rees, and Co. 1830. THIS is a very sensible book, displaying good feeling on the part of the author. It is a connected history of the sufferings of the Reformers, from the time of Wickliffe, down to the accession of Elizabeth. It will be read with pleasure by all who take an interest in the subject.

MISCELLANEOUS LITERATURE.

MY FIRST FEE.

A CHAPTER FROM THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A BARRISTER. "Fee him, father, fee him."

SEVEN long yearning years had now elapsed since, with the budding anticipation of youthful hope, I had assumed the lugubrious insignia of the bar. During that dreadful time, each morn as old St Giles told the hour of nine, might I be seen insinuating my emaciated figure within the penetralia of the Parliament House, where, begowned and bewigged, and with the zeal of a Powell or a Barclay, I paced about till two. These Peripatetic practices had wellnigh ruined me in Wellingtons and, latterly, in shoes. My little Erskine was in pawn; while my tailor and my landlady threw out most damning hints of their long bills and longer credit. I dared not understand them; but consoled myself with the thought, that the day would come when my tailor would cease his dunning, and my landlady her clamour.

The old fox was

plan I commenced my machinations.
too cunning even for me-he too had his plot, and had
hit upon the expedient of obtaining my opinion without a
fee!—the skinflint! Long and doubtful was the contest
-hint succeeded hint, question after question was put,
till at last my entertainer was victorious, and I retired
crest-fallen and feeless from the field! By the soul of
Erskine, had it not been for his dinners, I should have
cut him for ever! Still I grubbed with this one, culti-
vated an acquaintance with that, but all to no purpose→→→
no one pitied my position. My torments were those of
the damned! Hope (not the President) alone buoyed
me up-visions of future sovereigns, numerous as those
which appeared to Banquo of old, but of a better and
more useful kind, flitted before my charmed imagination.
Pride, poverty, and starvation pushed me on. What'!
said I, shall it be hinted that I am likely neither to have
a fee nor a feed?-tell it not in the First Division-pub-
lish it not in the Outer-House!—All my thoughts were
riveted to one object to one object all my endeavours
were bent, and to accomplish this seemed the ultimatum of
bliss.

Often have I looked with envy upon the more favoured candidates for judicial fame,-those who never return to their domicile or their dinner, but to find their tables groaning with briefs! How different from my case! My case? What case? I have no case !-Not one fee to mock its own desolateness! Months and months passed on-still success came not! The hoped-for event came not-resolution died within me--I formed serious inten tions of being even with the profession. As the profession had cut me, I intended to have cut the profession, In my wants, I would have robbed, but my hand was withheld by the thought, that the jesters of the stove might taunt me thus,-" He could not live, so he died, by the law." I have often thought that there is a great similarity between the hangman and the want of a fee— the one is the finisher of the law, the other of lawyers!

I had gone the different circuits, worn and torn my gown, seated myself in awful contemplation on the side benches, maintained angry argument on legal points with some more favoured brother, within earshot of a wily writer. In fine, I had resorted to every means that fancy could suggest, or experience dictate; but as yet my eyes Pondering on my griefs, with my feet on the expiring had not seen, nor my pocket felt a fee. Alas! this was embers of a sea-coal fire, the chair in that swinging posidenied. I might be said to be, as yet, no barrister; for tion so much practised and approved in Yankee Land, what is a lawyer without a fee? A nonentity! a sha---the seat destined for a clerk occupied by my cat, for I dow! To my grief, I seemed to be fast verging to the latter; and I doubt much whether the "Anatomie vivante "could have stood the comparison-so much had my feeless fast fed on my flesh!

I cannot divine the reason for this neglect of my legal services. In my own heart, I had vainly imagined the sufficiency of my tact and subtelty in unravelling a nice point; neither had I been wanting in attention to my studies; for heaven and my landlady can bear witness that my consumption of coal and candle would have sufficed any two ordinary readers. There was not a book or treatise on law which I had not dived into. insatiable in literature; but the world and the writers seemed ignorant of my brain-belabouring system, and sedu.. lously determined that my feeling propensities should not be gratified.

I was

Never did I meet an agent either in or out of Court, but my heart and hand felt a pleasing glow of hope and of joy at the prospect of pocketing a fee; but how often have they turned their backs without even the mortifying allusion to such a catastrophe! How oft have I turned round in whirling ecstasy as I felt some seemingly patronising palm tap gently on my shoulders with such a tap as writers' clerks are wont to use; but, oh, ye gods! a grinning wretch merely asked me how I did, and passed on !

Nor were my illegal friends more kind. There was an old gentleman, who, I knew, (for I made it my business to enquire,) had some thoughts of a law-plea. From him I received an invitation to dinner. Joyfully, as at all times, but more so on this occasion, was the summons obeyed. I had laid a train to introduce the subject of his wrongs at a time which might suit best, and with this

love every thing of the feline species, my cogitations were disturbed by an application for admittance at the outer-door. It was not the rat-tat of the postman, nor the rising and falling attack of the man of fashion, but a compound of both, which evidently bespoke the knockee unaccustomed to town. I am somewhat curious in knocks —I admire the true principles of the art, by which one may distinguish the peer from the postman-the dun from the dilettante--the footman from the furnisher. But there was something in this knock which baffled all my skill; yet sweet withal, thrilling through my heart with a joy unfelt before. Some spirit must have presided in the sound, for it seemed to me the music of the spheres.

A short time elapsed, and my landlady" opened wide the infernal doors." Now hope cut capers—(Lazenby, thou wert not to blame, for of thy delicacies I dared not even dream!)—now hope cut capers within me! Heavy footsteps were heard in the passage, and one of the lords of the creation marched his calves into the apartment. With alacrity I conveyed my corpus juris" to meet him, and, with all civility, I requested him to be seated. My landlady with her apron dusted the arm-chair, (I purchased it at a sale of Lord M- -'s effects, not causes,— expecting to catch inspiration.) In this said chair my man ensconced his clay.

66

I had commenced my survey of his person, when my eyes were attracted by a basilisk-like bunch of papers which the good soul held in his hand. In ecstasy I gazed

characters were marked on them which could not be mistaken; a less keen glance than mine might have discovered their import. My joy was now beyond all bounds, testifying itself by sundry kickings and contortions of the body, I began to fear the worthy man might think me

mad, and repent him of his errand,—I calmed myself,
and sat down. My guest thrust into my hands the pa-
pers, and then proceeded to issue letters of open doors
against his dexter pocket. His intentions were evident;
For some mi-
with difficulty could I restrain myself.
nutes "he groped about the vast abyss," during which
time my agitation increased so much that I could not
have answered one question, even out of that favourite
chapter of one of our institutional writers, " On the In-
stitution of Fees." but let me describe the man to whom
I owe so much.

He was a short, squat, farmer-looking being, who might
Though stinted in
have rented some fifty acres or so.
his growth upwards, Dame Nature seemed determined
to make him amends by an increase of dimension in every
other direction. His nose and face spoke volumes-ay,
libraries of punch and ale; these potations had also made
themselves manifested lower down, by the magnitude of
the belligerent powers. There was in his phiz a cunning
leer, in his figure a knowing tournure, which was still
further heightened by his dress; this consisted of a green
coat, which gave evident signs of its utter incapability
of ever being identified with Stultz; cords and continu-
ations encased the lower parts of his carcass; a belcher
his throat; while the whole was surmounted by a castor
of most preposterous breadth of brim, and shallow capa-
city. But in this man's appearance there was a some-
thing which pleased me—something of a nature superior
to other mortals.

Then his store

With flowers of budding hawthorn.
Of maidenish nick-nacks greatly overran
My utmost arithmetical operation.

Andrew knew well, better than any man
In all the eighteen towns of Cumberland,
The prime regard that's due to pence and farthings,
The right hand columns of his ledger-book.
This I call native wisdom, and should stand
Example to us of each small concern
That points to an hereafter. For how oft
Is heaven itself lost for a trivial fault!
First we commit one sin-one little sin—
A crime so venial, that we scarcely deem
Yet that one
It can be register'd above.
Leads to another, and, perchance, a greater:
Higher and higher on the scale we go,
Till all is lost that the immortal mind
But I forgot,
Should hold to estimation or account!

Straightforward one,

Thus wisdom should be earn'd.
Or rather did omit, at the right place,
To say that Andrew at first sight could know
The nature, temper, habits, and caprices
Yet none alive
Of every customer, man, wife, or boy,
Stripling, or blooming maid.
Could Andrew know, for he had qualities
Of eye, as well as mind, inscrutable.
For when he look'd a person in the face,
He look'd three ways at once.
And one to either side.
I might have been prejudiced, but his
face and figure seemed to me more beautiful than morning.
Never did I gaze with a more complacent benevolence
on a breeches-pocket. At last he succeeded in dragging
from its depths a huge old stocking, through which the
yellow letter'd Geordies keeked."
did I look on that old stocking, the produce, I presumed,
It seemed to possess the
of the stocking of his farm.
power of fascination, for my eyes could not quit it.
Even when my client (for now I calculated upon him,)
-even when my client began to speak, my attention still
wandered to the stocking. He told me of a dispute with his
landlord, about some matters relating to his farm, that he
was wronged, and would have the law of the laird, though
he should spend his last shilling, (here I looked with in-
creased raptures at the stocking.) On the recommenda-
tion of the minister (good man!) he had sought me for
advice. He then opened wide the jaws of his homely
purse he inserted his paw-now my heart beat-he
made a jingling noise-my heart beat quicker still-he
pulled forth his two interesting fingers-Oh, ecstasy! he
pressed five guineas into my extended hand-they touched
the virgin palm, and oh, ye gods! I was FEED!!!
Edinburgh, 16th March, 1830.

But so doth he,
That wondrous man, who absolutely deducts,
Arranges, and foretells, even to a day,
Much would I like to talk
Nature's last agony and overthrow.
So I am told
Presumptuous man!
With him but for one hour.
With what raptures
One who overrules
Looks a great man—a man whose tongue and pen
Hath hope illimitable.

ANDREW THE PACKMAN.

AFTER THE MANNER OF WORDSWORTH.

By the Ettrick Shepherd.

P. R.

IN vale of Bassenthwaite there once was bred
A man of devious qualities of mind;
Andrew the Packman, known from Workington,
And its dark and uncomely pioneers,
Even unto Geltsdale forest, where the county
Borders on that of Durham, vulgarly
Called Bishoprigg. But still within the bounds
Of ancient Cumberland, his native shire,
Andrew held on his round, higgling with maids
About base copper, vending baser wares.
Not unrespective, but respectively,
As suited several places and relations,
Did he spread forth muslins, and rich brocades
Of tempting aspect; likewise Paisley lace,
Upholden wove in Flanders, very rich
Of braid, inwove with tinsel, as the blossoms
Of golden broom appear in hedgerows, white

And so

A great academy of northern lore.
So look three of our noble peers.
Looks one-and I have seen the man myself
A fluent, zealous holder forth, within
So look'd Andrew Graham,
The House of Commons.
That peddling native of fair Bassenthwaite.
Now this same look had something in't, to me
Deeply mysterious. For, if that the eye
Be window of the soul, in which we spy
Its secret workings, here was one whose ray
Was more illegible than darkest cloud
Upon the cheek of heaven; whene'er he look'd
Straight in my face, and I return'd that look,
His seem'd not bent on me, but scatter'd
To either hand, as if his darkling spirit
Yet there was none
Scowl'd in the elements.
Could put him down when loudly sceptical,
But I myself. A hard and strenuous task!
For he was eloquence personified.

Now it must be acknowledged, to my grief,
That this same pedlar-this dark man of shawls,
Ribbons, and pocket napkins-he, I say,
Denied that primal fundamental truth,
The Fall of man! Yea, the validity

The man went on,

Of the old serpent's speech, the tree, the fruit,
The every thing concerning that great fall,
In which fell human kind!
Selecting and refusing what he chose
Samson's bold acts,
Of all the sacred book.
(The wonders of that age, the works of God!)
The jaw-bone of the ass,-the gates of Gaza,—
Even the three hundred foxes, he denied―
Terming them fables most impossible!
But what was worse,-proceeding, he denied
Atonement by the sacrifice of life,
Either in type or antitype, in words
Most dangerously soothing and persuasive.
Roused into opposition at this mode
Of speech, so full of oleaginiousness,

Yet sapping the foundation of the structure
On which so many human hopes are hung,
It did remind me even of a pillar
Of pyramidal form, which I had seen
Within the lobby of that noble peer,

The Earl of Lonsdale. On the right hand side,
As entering from the door, there doth it stand
Not unapplausive

For hanging hats upon.

Have I beheld it cover'd o'er with hats.
Apt simile in dissimilitude

Of that most noble fabric, which I have
In majesty of matter and of voice

Aroused me to defend. "Sir, hear me speak,"
(Now at that time my cheek was gently lean'd
On palm of my left hand; my right one moving
Backwards and forwards with decisive motion,)-
"Sir, hear me speak. Will you unblushingly
Stretch your weak hand to sap the mighty fabric,
On which hang millions all proleptical
Of everlasting life? That glorious structure,
Rear'd at the fount of Mercy, by degrees
From the first moment that old Time began
His random, erring, and oblivious course?

Forbid it, Heaven! Forbid it Thou who framed
The universe and all that it contains,
As well as soul of this insidious pedlar,
Aberrant as his vision! O, forbid

That one stone-one small pin-the most minute,
Should from that sacred structure e'er be taken,
Else then 'tis no more perfect. Once begun
The guilty spoliation, then each knave
May filch a part till that immortal tower
Of refuge and of strength,-our polar star,
Our beacon of Eternity, shall fall

And crumble into rubbish. Better were it

That thou defaced the rainbow, that bright pledge
Of God's forbearance. Rather go thou forth,
Unhinge this world, and toss her on the sun
A rolling, burning meteor. Blot the stars
From their celestial tenements, where they
Burn in their lambent glory. Stay the moon
Upon the verge of heaven, and muffle her
In hideous darkness. Nay, thou better hadst
Quench the sun's light, and rend existence up,
By throwing all the elements of God

In one occursion, one fermenting mass,

Than touch with hand unhallow'd, that strong tower,
Founded and rear'd upon the Holy Scriptures.
Wrest from us all we have-but leave us that!"

The spirit of the man was overcome,

It sunk before me like a mould of snow
Before the burning flame incipient.

He look'd three ways at once, then other three,
Which did make six; and three, and three, and three,
(Which, as I reckon, made fifteen in all,)
So many ways did that o'er-master'd pedlar
Look in one moment's space. Then did he give
Three hems most audible, which, to mine ear
As plainly said as English tongue could say,
"I'm conquer'd! I'm defeated! and I yield,
And bow before the majesty of Truth!"

He went away-he gave his pack one hitch
Up on his stooping shoulders; then with gait
Of peddling uniformity, and ell

In both his hands held firm across that part
Of man's elongated and stately form
In horses call'd the rump, he trudged him on,
Whistling a measure most iniquitous.
I was amaz'd; yet could not choose but smile
At this defeated pedlar's consecution;
And thus said to myself, my left cheek still
Leaning upon my palm, mine eye the while
Following that wayward and noctiferous man:
"Ay, go thy ways! Enjoy thy perverse creed,
If any joy its latitude contains!

How happy mightst thou be through these thy rounds
Of nature's varied beauties, wouldst thou view
Them with rejoicing and unjaundiced eye!
The beauteous, the sublime, lie all before thee;
Luxuriant valleys, lakes, and flowing streams,
And mountains that wage everlasting war
With heaven's own elemental hosts, array'd
In hoary vapours and majestic storms.
What lovely contrasts! From the verdant banks
Of Derwent, and the depths of Borrowdale,
Loweswater, Ennerdale, with Buttermere
And Skiddaw's grisly cliffs. Yet, what to thee
Are all these glimpses of divinity

Shining on Nature's breast? Nay, what to thee
The human form divine? The form of man,
Commanding, yet benign? Or, what the bloom
Of maiden in her prime, the rosy cheek,
The bright blue laughing eye of Cumberland,
Loveliest of England's maids? What all to thee,
Who, through thy darkling and dissociate creed,
And triple vision, with distorted view,
Look'st on thy Maker's glorious handywork,
And moral dignity of human kind!

-Even go thy ways! But, when thou com'st at last,
To look across that dark and gloomy vale
Where brood the shadows and the hues of death,
And see'st no light but that aberrant meteor
Glimmering like glow-worm's unsubstantial light
From thy good works, in which thou put'st thy trust,
Unhappy man! then, woe's my heart for thee !"

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES OF EDINBURGH.

THE ROYAL SOCIETY.

Monday, 15th March.

PROFESSOR RUSSELL in the Chair. Present,-Professors Wallace and Christison; Drs Gre gory, Knox, and Borthwick; James Robison, Gordon, &c. &c. Esquires.

DR KNOX concluded his paper on Hermaphroditical appearances in the Mamalia.

Professor CHRISTISON read a paper, which he intimated to the Society was the first of a series of experimental essays on the physiology of the blood and respiration. The only order of delivery he could prescribe for these papers, was that which the progress of his experiments might suggest. The present communication related to the much-agitated question, whether the change effected upon the blood in its transmission from the veins to the arteries, was susceptible of explanation upon chemical principles alone; or whether, the additional aid of some vital process must be assumed in order to account for it? Priestley, Girtanner, Berthollet, and other physiologists, had shown that venous blood, agitated in contact with atmospheric air, assumed the bright arterial red; that oxygen disappears, and carbonic acid is formed, during the process-in short, that the same effects are produced as by the process of respiration in the living body. But the correctness of their experiments and infe rences had lately been called in question by Dr Davy, who maintains that no change is effected in the colour of the blood; that the change produced in the composition of the air, is the result of incipient putrefaction; and that in experiments instituted by himself, with blood recently drawn from a vein, no change had taken place. Dr Christison had been induced, by this statement of Dr Davy, to repeat the experiment with the utmost care and nicety of which he was capable; and his conviction was, that the change from venous to arterial blood is effected by mere mechanical agitation of the fluid, in conjunction with atmospheric air, after being drawn from the body, as completely as if subjected to the influence of the air inhaled during the process of respiration in the human frame. Dr C. then proceeded to detail the nature of his experiments, premising that the operator required to be on his guard against deceptive results, proceeding from two different causes. In the first place, in some states of the system, the venous blood was found of such a bright red as to be with difficulty discernible from the arterial. He had known cases where

the surgeon, on opening a vein, had been led for some mo-
ments, by the appearance of the blood, to fear that he had
by mistake opened an artery. When the blood was in this
state, it was evident that little change in the colour of the
blood or composition of the air could be expected. In the
second place, in the blood of persons labouring under cer-
tain disorders, the colouring bore an unduly small propor-
In such cases, the change ef-
tion to the serous matter.
fected in the composition of the air, would necessarily be so
small as to be apt to escape detection, unless very nicely
measured. He mentioned these circumstances to show that

the failure of one, or even more experiments, was not fatal
to the principle he maintained. His first care was to pro-
cure a vessel, in which all ingress of the external air could
be prevented, and the quantity left in contact with the blood
before and after agitation accurately ascertained. The blood
was obtained so as to avoid as much as possible all previous
contact with the atmosphere, by allowing it to flow in a
full stream into a bottle, which was closely stopped as soon
Into this bottle several
as full, with a grooved stopper.
small pieces of lead had been previously introduced, as nuclei
round which the fibrin might collect, and thus be separated

took it into their heads to vociferate loudly for him; and
Vandenhoff, of course, came forward to assure them, that
it was one of the happiest moments of his life, and that
We should have liked him
he would never forget them.
better, had he expressed himself somewhat to the follow-
ing effect:-" Ladies and Gentlemen, What the devil is
it you mean? Here I have been playing for the last six
weeks to empty benches, and have been getting myself
ever and anon cut up by some of your best critics; and
now you seem all like to break your hearts, because I am
going to rid you of my presence. I wish to heaven, La-
dies and Gentlemen, you would be a little more consist-
ent. Either come and see me when I am here, or let me
go away without making a mockery of me in this fashion.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am your very obedient humble
servant; but catch me visiting Edinburgh again in a
hurry." Whatever Vandenhoff said, we know he felt
thus. For ourselves, however, we wish to part friends
with him. Set aside Kean, Young, Macready, Charles
Kemble, and perhaps Warde, and we believe Vandenhoff

If he be not content
We shall be glad to

to be the best tragedian we have.
with this praise, we cannot help it.
see him here again at a future opportunity, when we may
possibly say more of him.

flexible voice, which has been carefully cultivated; but it is deficient in richness of tone and variety of expression. Her acting is poor, because it is apparently heartless ;there is none of the energy and sincerity of true feeling The houses she drew were inabout it. We think Miss Ayton any thing but improved since she was last here.

from the colouring matter and serum. The colouring matter and serum, thus prepared, were then transferred to the vessel above-mentioned, between one hour and three hours after the blood was drawn; and care was taken to admit the least possible contact with the external atmosphere. As Miss Fanny Ayton sang and acted to us for three evensoon as the due proportions of blood and air were in the vessel, its aperture was closed, and the agitation commenced. Her style is essentially Italian, or we should Care was also taken to keep the blood-vessel at the temper-ings this week. On the whole, we have been disappointature of the room in which the experiment was conducted, ed in her. lest the expansion or contraction of the volume of air with- rather say foreign, for she strikes us as a little FrenchifiWe do not precisely know, in, should affect the application of the method by which it ed also; and, consequently, she is somewhat out of her was poposed to ascertain whether it were diminished in element in English opera. bulk. After agitating the vessel for some time, the blood, either, why this should be, for Caradori's Polly and Rosetta were exquisite; but Miss Ayton must in every reShe has a good, clear, from a dark purple hue, assumed the bright arterial red. The application of a curved glass tube, opening under a gradua- spect rank much below Caradori. ted tube which was filled with air, and vested in a saucer of coloured water, showed by the ascent of the fluid into the tube, on opening the stop-cock of the bottle, that the volume of the internal atmosphere had diminished during the process by which the colour of the blood was changed. Afterwards, by a particular contrivance, the internal air was expelled from the vessel, and received under mercury in one of the receivers usually employed for that purpose; it was found, by the application of chemical tests, that the had oxygen quantity of azote remained unaffected, that the been diminished, and a quantity of carbonic acid gas had been formed; but that the carbonic acid did not nearly equal the oxygen which had disappeared, because carbonic acid being very soluble in serum, the greater part of what was formed was absorbed. It would appear from these statements, Dr C. continued, that the result of his experiments differed materially from that announced by Dr Davy. The absorption of oxygen by ten cubic inches of venous blood, varied in different experiments from about half a cuAt the close of bic inch to nearly a cubic inch and a half. his paper, Dr C. repeated his experiment before the Society. He pointed out that the transition of the blood from purple to bright red was not caused, as Dr Davy alleged, by the formation of air-bubbles, and the consequent greater diffusion of the colouring matter; for it extended, after the vessel had remained at rest, to the lower portion of the air-vessel, where there was no admixture of air-bubbles with the fluid.

[ERRATUM.-We are requested by Mr James Wilson, to correct an error, which inadvertently crept into our report of his paper on the American Grouse, read before the Wernerian Society. At p. 133 of the present volume, col. 2, 1. 17, Mr Wilson is made to say Ptarmigans seem to prefer comparatively temperate climates." Mr Wilson's statement was,-" Ptarmigans seem to prefer in comparatively temperate climates, such as that of Scotland, the bare and stony sides and summits of the highest mountains; but under the rigorous temperature of Greenland, and the most northern

parts of North America, they are chiefly found in the vicinity of the sea-shore, by the banks of rivers, and among the willow and other copse-woods of the lower and more sheltered vales."]

THE DRAMA.

SINCE We last wrote, certain occurrences have taken place in the dramatic world, which we must not allow to Vandenhoff took his leave of us in pass unchronicled. the character of Damon. It is the best part he plays, and ought to have been performed at an earlier period of his On the fall of the curtain, the audience engagement.

different.

On Thursday evening, Mr Wilson, a native of Edinburgh, and a gentleman who has already distinguished himself at the Professional Concerts here and elsewhere, made his first appearance on the stage, in the character of He was very enthusiastically received, Henry Bertram. and had evidently a number of warm friends in the pit. In the course of the evening, he sang four songs, all of Mr Wilson has a clear powerful which were encored. voice, and a distinctness of articulation particularly well adapted for stage singing. As an actor, he has, of course, much yet to learn; and probably never expects to rise very high in that department of the profession. But his vocal powers, if carefully cultivated, will carry him sucHe reminded us in some respects of cessfully through.

Sinclair, and is already decidedly superior to Thorne, or any singer we ever remember to have had resident here. Of what we may consider his faults and imperfections, we shall not at present speak, being always willing to treat a debutant leniently. One thing, however, we must ask,-where did he get his boots and his white inexpressibles?

Mrs Henry Siddons, previous to her final retirement from the stage, is about to appear in five of her favourite characters, commencing to-night with the part of Julia Melville, in "The Rivals." Little more than a week has elapsed, since she formed this resolution,-the uncertain state of her health having led her to fear that the exertion We rejoice, however, that might be too much for her. she is now so convalescent, as to be able to present herself We have, for some once more to the Edinburgh public. time back, intended to pay a tribute to the well-merited success which has attended Mrs Siddons's theatrical caWhen we see before us an actor or actress, in the reer. heyday of health and popularity, we are too apt to forget how much of amusement and delight we owe to the ex

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